Venetian blind with detachably mounted fringe elements



W. KANDEL Jan 20, 1970 VENETIAN BLIND WITH DETACHABLY MOUNTED FRINGE ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1968 Waher Kcmcie] BY [NVENTOR fife-W w v Jan. 20, 1970 W. KANDEL 3,490,515

VENETIAN BLIND WITH DETACHABLY MOUNTED FRINGE ELEMENTS Filed May 6, 1968 2 Sheets-sheaf. 2

WclZer Kandel BY, IZVVEN T0)? aw a! United States Patent 3,490,515 VENETIAN BLIND WITH DETACHABLY MOUNTED FRINGE ELEMENTS Walter Kandel, 4834 N. Interstate Ave., Portland, Oreg. 97217 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 612,457, Jan. 30, 1967. This application May 6, 1968, Ser.

' Int. Cl. E06b 9/ 38 U.S. Cl. 160178 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of the application of Walter Kandel, Ser. No. 612,457, filed Jan. 30, 1967 for Fringed Venetian Blind, now U.S. Patent No. 3,386,490.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds.

Conventional Venetian blinds inherently are characterized by the disadvantage of depriving the screened areas of privacy when the blinds are in their open position, and of ventilation when the blinds are in their closed position.

The present invention has for its purpose the provision of a Venetian blind which overcome the foregoing disadvantages by providing both privacy and ventilation while contemporaneously eliminating glare and providing an attractive decorative effect in both the open and closed positions of the blind.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide a fringed Venetian blind, the fringe elements of which may be easily mounted on and demounted from the slats as required for periodic cleaning or repair.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are fragmentary views of a fringed Venetian blind illustrated in its open and closed positions, respectively;

FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 7 are fragmentary perspective views of the fringed Venetian blind of the present invention detachably mounted on the slats of the blind; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a fringe element used in conjunction with the fringed Venetian blind of FIG. 5.

The Venetian blind of the invention includes a plurality of horizontal slats vertically spaced from each other and operated in the usual manner by means of chords which adjust the slats between open and closed positions. Screening elements are arranged along the corresponding longitudinal margins of the slats. Each screening element comprises a base having a fringe attached thereto. The base is provided with releasable grip means for gripping the edge of the slat.

The fringe hangs freely across the space between the slat and its neighbor immediately below. The length of the fringe is such that it spans the opening between the two slats when the slats are open, and overlies and conceals the lower slat when the slats are closed.

Thus the blind affords privacy when in its open position, while at the same time providing ventilation and an attractive decorative appearance. In addition, the fringed 3,490,515 Patented Jan. 20, 1970 screening elements easily may be removed for cleaning, repair, or the substitution of new elements designed to give a new decorative appearance.

Considering the foregoing in greater detail and with particular reference to the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a typical fringed Venetian blind assembly. Each assembly includes a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal slats 10, each provided with transverse openings 12 which accommodate chords 14 by means of which the slats are adjusted between open and closed positions.

In addition, there are provided a plurality of screening elements arranged along the corresponding longitudinal margins of the slats. Each screening element comprises a base 16 to the outer edge of which are attached fringe strands 18 which, if desired, may comprise solid material rather than separated strands. Both base and strands may be made of a suitable fabric, plastic, thin metal or other flexible material.

In one form of the blind, base 16 is secured on the edge portion of slat 10 by suitable means, as by means of an adhesive layer 20.

Fringe 18 is of sufficient length substantially to screen the opening between the slats when the slats are in the open position of the blind and to overlie and substantially conceal the slat immediately below when the slats are in the closed position of the blind.

The presently described forms of the invention are similar to the foregoing with the exception that the bases of the screening elements are provided with means for releasably engaging the margins of the slats so that the screening elements conveniently may be applied in thefirst instance, removed for cleaning, repair or substitution, and then reapplied as frequently as desired during the service life of the blind.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 spring clip means are provided for this purpose.

Thus, each screening element comprises a base to the outer edge of which are attached fringe strands 18 of the character above described. However, the inner margin of the base is cleft to provide a pair of laminae 22 which extend the entire length of the base.

Laminae 22 receive between them a looped clip 24 comprising a length of spring steel or other resilient material formed linearly in a sequence of loops such as are illustrated in the drawings.

The loops of clip 24 are dimensioned to be received between laminae 22, Where they may be secured by means of stitching 26 or otherwise.

The screening element then may be applied releasably to the margin of slat 10 simply by spreading apart the constituent loops of clip member 24 and clipping the member to the margin of the slat in the manner indicated in FIG. 4. This mounts the screening element securely on the edge of the slat in proper operative position. However, when desired, the screening element may be unclipped, processed, and then reapplied as often as desired.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, an alternate construction and manner of attachment of the screening element is illustrated.

Base 16b of the screening element and base 34 of the fringe member both may be made of durable plastic or other material. The side walls of recess 30 are expandable and base 34 of the fringe member is of sufficient stiffness so that it may be threaded into the recess along its entire length. This mounts the fringe element detachably in base 16b. It also mounts the entire assembly detachably on slat 10.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7 is similarto that above described with the exception that the fringe elements are secured permanently to the base.

Thus, in this form of the invention base 160 is split along the entire length of its inner margin to form a pair of lips 35 having the same function and purpose as do laminae 28 of FIGS. and 6. However, the outer margin of the base is provided with an outwardly extending flange 36 along its entire length.

A fringe member indicated collectively at 38 has a base 40 made of fabric, plastic, or other suitable material. Base 40 mounts filamentous fringe elements of the character above described.

Base 40 of the fringe member is fastened permanently to flange 36 by means of stitching 42, or other suitable means.

Thus all of the forms of the invention provide significant advantages.

When the blind is in the open position of FIGS. 1 and 2 the fringe screens the openings between the slats to insure privacy. At the same time it permits adequate ventilation and obscures the glare of the direct sun.

When the blind is in its closed position, the fringe overlies the face surface of the slat immediately below to produce the effect of an ornamental screen or tapestry rather than the hard mechanical appearance of a closed conventional Venetian blind. Further to enhance this effect, both the base material and fringe may be fabricated from materials of selected colors and patterns to give attractive decorative effects.

Still further, in all forms of the invention the screening elements easily are removable from the slats. This permits cleaning both the slats and the screening elements, repairing the screening elements, or substituting new screening elements to achieve new effects. The repaired or renewed screening elements may be reapplied to the slats as often as desired during the service life of the blind.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a Venetian blind including a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal slats interconnected by vertical chords for adjusting the slats between open and closed position, a plurality of screening element open and closed position, a plurality of screening ele arranged along corresponding longitudinal margins of the slats and each comprising:

(a) a base,

(b) resilient frictional gripping means on the base releasably securing the base frictionally to one longitudinal margin only of the slat,

(c) and a fringe attached to the base and hanging across the space between the slats and the slat immediately below,

(d) the fringe having a length sufiicient substantially 'to screen the opening between the slats when the slats are in the open position of the blind and to 4 overlie and substantially conceal the slat immediately below when the slats are in the closed position of the blind,

(e) the base being made of resilient material and the resilient frictional gripping means comprising a pair of laminae formed integrally with the base and furnishing an open ended slot dimensioned to re-' ceive the slat margin between the laminae in frictional engagement therewith.

2. In combination with a Venetian blind including a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal slats interconnected by vertical chords for adjusting the slats between open and closed positions, a plurality of screening elements arranged along corresponding longitudinal margins of the slats and each comprising:

(a) a base,

(b) resilient frictional gripping means on the base releasably securing the base frictionally to one longitudinal margin only of the slat,

(c) and a fringe attached to the base and hanging across the space between the slats and the slat immediately below,

(d) the fringe having a length suflicient substantially to screen the opening between the slats when the slats are in the open position of the blind and to overlie and substantially conceal the slat immediately below when the slats are in the closed position of the blind,

(e) the base being provided with a recess extending the length of its outer margin substantially normal to the plane of the base and having its open end at the underside of the base, and the fringe being provided with a base dimensioned for reception in the recess in releasable frictional engagement.

3. In combination with a Venetian blind including a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal slats interconnected by vertical chords for adjusting the slats between open and closed positions, a plurality of screening elements arranged along corresponding longitudinal margins of the slats and each comprising:

(a) a base,

(b) resilient frictional gripping means on the base releasably securing the base frictionally to one longitudinal margin only of the slat,

(c) and a fringe attached to the base and hanging across the space between the slats and the slat immediately below,

. (d) the fringe having a length suflicient substantially to screen the opening between the slats when the slats are in the open position of the blind and to overlie and substantially conceal the slat immediately below when the slats are in the closed position of the blind,

(e) the base being provided with a flange projecting outwardly along its outer upper margin and a fringe comprising a base having fringe-forming filaments depending therefrom, and securing means securing the base of the fringe to the underside ofthe flange.

-4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the base of the flange is aflixed to the flange by being stitched thereto.

References Cited H UNITED STATES PATENTS 290,698 12/1883 Michel -384 3,044,615 7/1962 Richardson. 3,386,490 6/1968 Kandel 160 173 PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner 

